How find Cheap Accommodation in New York

New York City is famously one of the most difficult cities in the world to find affordable accommodation. Even hostel dorm beds can cost you a small fortune if you don’t plan ahead and do your research. But booking a cheap hotel room in New York doesn’t have to be an impossible mission. Follow some simple guidelines to make sure you get the best deal on a room possible.

Stay at a Hostel

Obviously, if you’re really on a budget you’re going to look at a hostel for an option. Staying in dorms will definitely make sure you get the best value accommodation possible, as long as you’re willing to put up with the potential for fellow passengers that snore. That being said, just because a place is a hostel doesn’t mean it’s the cheapest in town. Quite often, the really goo budget hotels are even cheaper.

Book mid-week

If you have the option, don’t book your hotel room on a weekend. If you’re booking accommodation mid-week, you’re almost guaranteed to get the best deal possible. It’s completely possible that the price of a room during the week could be as much as half off the weekend price. If you can, avoid weekends in New York.

Go Online for Specials

When a hotel is looking to fill up its rooms at the last minute, it usually turns to online booking agents to pawn off the cheapest rooms. This is usually when you find the best value deals. Sometimes, if a hotel is desperate to fill their rooms, you can find a nice hotel room for the price of a dorm bed at a hostel. Deals of 200% off the normal price aren’t uncommon, so shop around online for discount hotel deals before booking anything.

Don’t be Spontaneous

Sure, being spontaneous is fun, but in the world of getting a cheap hotel room it’ll end up costing you. Just simply turning up and hoping for a good price on a hotel room is the worst idea possible. Hotels give their highest price to walk-in clients on the idea that they’re likely desperate for a room. Plan your stay well in advance.

Stay on the Fringe

You’re not likely to find too many cheap hotel rooms directly downtown New York City, although it’s entirely possible. You’re much better off staying outside of Manhattan in somewhere like Brooklyn and taking the subway down to the city each day. Of course, you have to decide if convenience is really worth the amount you’ll have to spend for it.

Author: I am a travel writer and photographer from Alberta, Canada. Over my years as a travel photographer, I have visited 6 of the 7 continents and more countries than I have any desire to count. If you want to improve your skills, be sure to check out my travel photography channel on Youtube . Also, check out my profile on Google+. to learn a little bit more about me and my work.